These are my personal experiences as a single guy living in rented accommodation in Bangkok and working for a Thai company. The details of the process differ from year to year, from province to province, and according to the applicant's situation and reason for applying. This is a guide, not the bible.

Do you need a lawyer?

It doesn't make any difference to Immigration if you use a lawyer or not. It doesn't make you look better or worse. But it does affect the process a little.

A legal firm with experience in PR applications should be able to give you useful advice on how to provide a "portfolio" showing your contribution to society, ensure all your Thai-language company documents are correct and complete, handle translation of documents, and save you some running around. Your own company lawyer - if you have one - can probably help with everything except the portfolio.

If you hire a legal firm, it will probably consider the approval of your application to be the end of the process. If you want them to help you with the various steps after approval, you'd better put that in the written agreement so it's understood by all. If you hand over a lot of documents to them, make a list and get them to sign for them in case any go missing.

Myths

You don't need to be married to obtain PR. There are minimum salary guidelines for each nationality, but these aren't written down and they aren't set in stone. In some circumstances you can apply if you fall short of the minimum salary.

Preparation and documents

First, go to Immigration (Room 301 at the Suan Phlu Office in Bangkok - now changed to Section D of the new office in Chaeng Wattana Road*), tell them which category you are applying in (Investment, Work/Business, Humanitarian, Expert) and request the appropriate documents. They'll give you a sheet "Detailed Information Needed for Residence Permit Applications," TM.9 Application for Permanent Residence, a Personal Information sheet, a sheet titled "Documents required when applying for a residence permit in the category of [whatever you requested]," a sample medical certificate and a sample form for submitting Thai-language maps of your home and workplace.

Many of the 20 documents listed are related to your employer, work and tax record for the previous 3 years and must have been signed (or issued) within 3 months of making your application. Some documents must be translated into Thai and certified by your embassy. Educational certificates must be translated into Thai and certified by the Foreign Ministry.

Others documents on the list include:

(2) a medical certificate as per their official sample (the one that declares you free from syphilis and elephantiasis) issued by a hospital in the 3 months prior to the application date.

(3) certificate of no criminal record from your "domicile" and certified by your embassy. This means the country whose passport you are currently using, and you need to apply direct to your country's police for this. If your country has criminal record checks with and without fingerprints, you'll probably need the one with fingerprint check. Immigration can do the fingerprints for you free of charge (Room 301). If your country has federal and state record checks, you'll need the federal one. Expect this to take 3-8 weeks in Western countries but it could take up to 3 months.

(17) maps in Thai language of your place of residence and work (if applicable).

(19) "Personal Information sheet and the applicant's portfolio, which includes detailed information about family background, knowledge and ability, working experience, special ability, social work, work place, residence together with photo (using the A4 document folder)."

The photos required are of the exterior and interior of your home and workplace. It might be a good idea to have yourself in the photos too.

The portfolio depends on what you have available. The purpose of the portfolio is to establish that you are an upstanding citizen who is unlikely to get into financial or other trouble in the future. Anything that portrays you as a somebody, as someone who is a cut above the rest or as financially secure is worth submitting. Some suggestions:

* Reference letters from senior Thais supporting your good character and application. Obviously, the more senior or well-known, the better. Give your referees a template letter in Thai to make it easier for them.

* Membership of charitable organizations.

* Membership of non-profit organizations, such as chambers of commerce.

* Newspaper clippings mentioning you or written by you. Any publications written by you.

Immigration is open for applications from about mid-December until the last working day of the year. Only two weeks. You take your file in and an officer will check the documents. Quite likely there will be something that needs correcting or updating, but from now on you deal with this officer so it's easier to get questions answered. You'll also get your fingerprints taken at this point.

The officer will give you an appointment sheet with details of the date and time for your interview and Thai-language test in March or April and tell you to bring along your annual Income Tax return (Por Ngor Dor 90/91) and company tax documents for December. This officer isn't a total expert on documentation, so don't be surprised if you get requests for corrected/updated documents right up until June the following year.

The Interview

In my case, the officer who interviewed me was the same one who accepted my application and documents 4 months before, so things were pretty relaxed and friendly. I had a young lawyer with me. Since I speak Thai pretty well, the whole discussion was in Thai. Mostly it was about the documents, my background, and the PR process. Every now and again a question came right out of the blue, like "What religion are you?" So I got the impression my Thai language skills and general demeanour were being examined. The officer typed on a PC the whole time.

After the discussion, she printed out a long statement (in Thai) from the computer, asked the lawyer to read it to me and explain anything I didn't understand, and then we both had to sign it. The document was a long series of statements such as, "I explained to the applicant that after receiving notice of a successful application, he must come to the Immigration office within 30 days. The applicant said he understood." In fact, some of the statements hadn't been made in the interview.

After we'd signed, she asked the lawyer to leave. Then she gave me a sheet of 10 multiple answer questions written in Thai. Since I don't read Thai very well at all, she read the questions and the answers, pointing at the ABCD answers as she read them. Some of the answers had little pictures which made them easier. With some of them, you could tell just from the answers which was the odd one out, even if you didn't understand the question.

Some of the questions were pretty easy, some required a basic knowledge of Thailand (How many provinces there are, etc), and one was about the PR process (i.e. the stuff I had signed in the statement). The only problem I had was that the questions were phrased in formal written Thai style rather than the spoken Thai I'm used to. If I didn't understand the question, it was pretty easy to figure out the question from the answers.

The test doesn't take long. After that, you go into a partitioned area and introduce yourself in Thai while they record it on camera. It looked like an ordinary Sony still camera to me, so the video mode would probably not be more than a couple of minutes. I kept my intro short, but I was asked a couple of questions after I finished.

Approval letter

I received my approval letter 16 months after making the application. The letter is in Thai but there are separate instructions in English on what documents you need to get the Certificate of Residence (you must do this within 30 days):

1. Original and copy of passport (certified true copy by you)

2. Original and copy of the House Registration book of your residence (certified true copy by the owner) and details of the local police station whose jurisdiction it is in. You will be put on this House Registration later.

3. 12 4x6cm photos not more than 3 months old.

4. Fee of 191,400 baht (if single) or 95,700 baht if the spouse of Thai national or PR holder paid in cash or by cashier's cheque (in Bangkok only). A copy of any cashier's cheque.

Picking up the Certificate of Residence

When you go to Immigration they give you a sheet "Procedures in obtaining the Certificate of Residence (TM.16)" that describes most of the following procedures. In Bangkok they will take you to Room 202 and you'll never deal with Room 301 again.*

You pay the fee, give them 4 photos, have your thumbprint taken and give some information that will be forwarded to your local police and end up in your Alien Registration book. They will take the embarkation form out of your passport and write the details (i.e. flight number) of your last entry into Thailand on it. Then they'll stamp your passport with details of the Certificate of Residence. At some point in this process they will decide how to spell your name in Thai and may not ask you about it. If you want it spelt correctly, find some diplomatic way of giving it to them early on. You pick up your Certificate of Residence (actually a book) the next day and take it plus the letter they give you to your local police station. You must do this within 7 days of submitting your documents, not 7 days from receiving the Residence Certificate.

Obtaining the Alien Registration Book

You take the Residence Book and the letter they give you to the police, along with 4 photos, tabien baan (House Registration book), and copies of your passport, Residence Book and tabien baan. Plus the police will need the names of your mother and father in Thai script. Pay 400 baht for the current year and 800 baht for the next 5 years. Pick up the Alien Registration book a couple of weeks later. Then start the process to get put on the tabien baan.

Being put on a House Registration book

You apply at your district office to be put on a tabien baan. You'll probably deal with someone senior and have to provide copies of passport, tabien baan, Residence Book and Alien Book. There is no charge at all. After submitting the documents, they give you a letter which you take back to Immigration and make an appointment to go back to the district office. Immigration then gives you another letter which you take back to the district office.

For the second interview at the district office you need two Thais to act as witnesses. One will normally be the owner of your residence. The officer will ask you all a lot of detailed questions (how you know the witnesses, what's your blood group, etc) and write out an interview form for each of you, to which he'll add your photo and thumbprint and send them to the Interior Ministry "as evidence." Then you are put on the tabien baan and have reached the end of the process.

Traveling outside Thailand

Before taking a trip outside Thailand you must apply for a 1-year endorsement of your Residence Book (1,900 baht) and a re-entry ("non-quota Immigrant") visa in your passport (1,900 baht single, 3,800 baht multiple) valid for one year.

What you get

(Certificate of Residence and Alien Registration Book)

Benefits of Permanent Residence

No need to leave the country within 7 days if employment is terminated.

No need to extend or renew any visa, or report your address every 90 days. But you do have to obtain a re-entry visa if you go out of the country.

Allowed to buy a condominium without having to remit funds from abroad.

Entitled to apply for citizenship after 5 years.

Entitled to be appointed a director of a public limited company even if the majority of other directors on the Board are non-Thai.

Supposedly easier to obtain a work permit.

Allowed to go through the "Thai passports only" channel at airport Immigration.

"Disadvantages" of Permanent Residence

When applying for a Thai driving licence, they will insist you have a valid re-entry visa in your passport and residence book, even if you are not intending to go out of the country. They will require your house registration certificate and include your unique 13-digit number on the driving licence. Many banks and hotels act like they've never seen an Alien's Registration book before and may insist on seeing your passport, perhaps because the Alien's Book doesn't contain your name in English.

Updates from members in this topic

Please see the latest (Dec 2009) information and documents from the Immigration Department. Many minor requirements have changed.

The Bangkok Immigration Bureau moved to Chaeng Wattana Road on October 1, 2009

The health certificate must be from a government hospital and a blood test for syphilis may be required.

Tax receipts may need to be certified by the Revenue Dept.

You may need a letter of guarantee from the Labour dept.

You must appear in the photos of your workplace and residence.

You may need to produce your salary slips for the last 2 years.

If you have a child, you will need to take a DNA paternity test.

If you are married to a Thai, an Immigration officer will come to your residence to verify that you are in fact married and cohabiting.

Since 2007 the Thai-language test is a panel asking the applicant questions, but the questions are simple and the panel friendly. See this member's experience of the interview in 2011.

As of April 2012, the 2006 applicants were still waiting for their final approval. The process can get delayed due to political instability.

A friend who has a work permit got an overstay stamp because he reported late his 90 days report of address.

He asked the immigration staff if it wasn't a mistake as it wasn't an overstay but the immigration staff told him it was indeed an overstay to not report your address every 90 days in time.

This happened in Jomtien.

Is this the new rule ? Whoever doesn't do the 90 days report in time gets an overstay stamp ?

]]>1077975Sat, 12 Jan 2019 17:05:52 +0000Long stay multi entry.https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1079831-long-stay-multi-entry/
Time to bite the bullet and get one of these. Have been coming to los for 10years on and off using visa exempts and tourist visas. However last 2times i have been asked my reasons. Usually come 4-5times a year now i am retired in oz.

From reading forum the above visa is good for 1year from start date of visa and any re entry will extend visa for a year giving up to 2 years validity. So there is no need for proof of income/funds during this period. The 2nd year if i wish to leave i need a re entry permit costing 1k single or 3.8k multi. At the end of the visa extension i can apply for retirement visa and have to show the 800k or start long stay visa again.and this cost 1.9k baht. Correct?

What is t30. Is it about advising your address and how often do you need to do it. I own a condo so would i have to keep reporting my address. And what is a certificate of residence good foris it the same as tm30. I have a blue book which came with condo. Is it of any use?

]]>1079831Mon, 21 Jan 2019 12:33:36 +0000Boy this Thai Visa help section use to be a lively place a few years ago..https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1079201-boy-this-thai-visa-help-section-use-to-be-a-lively-place-a-few-years-ago/
Boy this Thai Visa help section use to be a lively place a few years ago..

It looks like most of the post now are mostly about retirement extensions and marriage extensions....

Its looking to me like many many under 50s may have said screw it and thrown in the towel....If your under 50 you can only milk the tourist and Ed visas for X number of years before your done...Its sure as hell is no picnick having to renew tourist visas in a number of different countries every 3 months......

I dont really have any big point to make....But the the Thai Visa universe sure seems to me to be shrinking....

]]>1079201Sat, 19 Jan 2019 14:27:31 +0000Combination of Income and Bank Balance to equal 800K Bahthttps://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1079566-combination-of-income-and-bank-balance-to-equal-800k-baht/
I have been on Non O Visa, retired for the past few years now. I have no money at present in a Thai Bank. I have in the past only had 65,000 plus baht income which is now being reduced to approximately 40 to 42.000 Baht per month. So my question is - could I have less than 800K in the bank and only 40 or 42K in income monthly to qualify? If so, how much would I be required to hold on deposit in a Thai Bank? Thank you.
]]>1079566Sun, 20 Jan 2019 07:07:59 +0000rejected entry and sent back home.https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1079213-rejected-entry-and-sent-back-home/
I was denied entry at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi a few nights ago and sent back to the UK via china, the same way I came, it was rough! I’d like to share my story so i can get some advice on what to do next and perhaps shed some light on current visa policy.

here’s how it went. I arrived at around 10pm with a British passport containing no current tourist visa but a history of VOA stamps and tourist visa’s scattered around between visa’s and the like from the United States, Mexico, India, Cambodia, Japan and others, the majority however where Thai stamps. My plan was to spend 30 days or so in Thailand this year before flying to India for a few months where i would obtain a tourist visa and come back into Thailand hence I didn’t make the difficult trip to the London embassy from my rural English location to obtain a tourist visa. The previous year I was also relying on visa exemption stamps with 30 day extensions, this I now realise was an error of ignorance on my side, but in defence of myself I spend 3-4 months a year out of Asia where I am working overtime, 7 days a week, I do not, and never have engaged in any money generating activity in Thailand, I also spend extended time in other countries, meaning that my total time in Thailand last year was around 6-7 months.

The first IO started to inspect my passport, he seemed to be checking this against his screen the convosation went a little like this...

you where last here in September? Yes.

so you stayed in Thailand 8 months last year? No, probably closer to 6

you overstayed 2 days? No

you went to India in march? Yes, for around 2 months.

he then took me to a senior officer, who asked me why I came here. I answered I have a Thai partner and like to spend time here with her, he said looking at my passport this isn’t good, I said I wasn’t aware I was doing anything wrong, I said I can show you money (I had a few thousand pounds in cash with me) he put his hand up, not looking at me and shook his head. He said this is illegal and told me I wouldn’t be getting entry today.

The rest of the process went quite quickly, I didn’t really get a chance to argue my case and didn’t really know that it was over until i was waiting for the next plane home, which luckily was free. I had my picture taken in the office below and received a blue stamp in my passport, which apparently reads something like, lack of income, unable to support myself. This is plainly untrue as even if I did choose to spend the whole year in Thailand without doing my yearly work I would have enough funds to support myself living a comfortable lifestyle for 2-3 years.

my question is what to do next? I’ve been reading the forums and it seems my best idea is to renew my passport and obtain a tourist visa and enter through a land border, I should be able to get an METV, I’m assuming this will in its own right invalidate the terms of my rejection. I am willing to look into further visas also but right now I just want to get back to my partner so we can work further details out, any advice would be great, thanks

I posted a topic here last week concerning the documents needed for a marriage visa. I appreciate all the responses I got; that said, all the documentation/requirments seems a bit mind boggling to me.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a legal company or consultant that can help guide me through the process?

Preferably something that won't break the bank.

]]>1079839Mon, 21 Jan 2019 13:12:31 +0000Online 90 day reporting available from April 1sthttps://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/812263-online-90-day-reporting-available-from-april-1st/Online 90 day reporting available from April 1st

BANGKOK: A spokesperson for Thailand’s Immigration Bureau has confirmed the new online service for 90 day reporting will be effective from April 1st 2015.

Col. Worawat Amornwiwat confirmed on Thursday that foreign nationals in Thailand will now be able to report their address via the Immigration Bureau’s website, rather than having to attend their local immigration office in person or send the notification by registered mail.

Col. Worawat said the new service has been introduced as part of Thailand’s integration into the ASEAN Economic Community and will provide more convenience for foreigners staying in Thailand.

Whilst the new service of online 90 day reporting is likely to be largely welcomed by many expats and foreign nationals residing in Thailand, the downside is that the service is only currently available via Microsoft’s Internet Explorer - a web browser which Microsoft has recently said it will replace as part of the launch of Windows 10 later this year.

Immigration officials have said that the online 90 day reporting service will hopefully be available on other web browsers at some point in the future but have not given any further indication of when this will be.

After being originally announced in February there have been various discussions[/size on the Thaivisa Forum related to online 90 day reporting, with some expats raising concerns about the security and efficiency of the system being able to service what is an important requirement for foreign nationals who live in Thailand.
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]]>812263Fri, 27 Mar 2015 00:19:01 +0000Refused 1st Retirement extensionhttps://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1078998-refused-1st-retirement-extension/
I was refused my first retirement extension at Ubonratchathani immigration. I was using the combo, money in bank 650k+, combined with income from a work pension. The reason for refusal was that I do not have 65k per month coming into my Thai bank. I have only been receiving my pension for 4 months, and the deposits do vary, but enough to reach the 800k requirement. I was told that they are no longer doing the combined method. I was advised that I would need to top my account up to the 800k and start the process again by traveling to Loa and obtain a new non-o visa. I would then need to keep the 800k in the bank or show income of 65k per month for further extensions.
]]>1078998Fri, 18 Jan 2019 11:36:19 +0000Immigration and Embassy's now have shared Databasehttps://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1078823-immigration-and-embassys-now-have-shared-database/
34 seconds onward's, second news Bulletin. This is the database which will be used for future online visa applications. The days of swapping passports and the ability to hide your visa history at Embassy's and consulates are coming to an end.

]]>1078823Thu, 17 Jan 2019 18:05:48 +0000More visa time - what are the options?https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1079427-more-visa-time-what-are-the-options/
I arrived last August on a 60 days tourist visa (TR), and got 30 days at Mae Sai. Then I got another TR in Penang, and I just got another 30 days at Mae Sai. The IO marked this last stamp at Mae Sai with a ''1'' (because it is a new calendar year). I need more time. What are the options?

Can I return to Mae Sai? Or do I need to get another TR? Or ''fly out fly in'' for 30 days? Can I get 30 days or 7 days at immigration?

Any info much appreciated. Thanks

]]>1079427Sat, 19 Jan 2019 22:02:07 +0000https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1079186-apply-thailand-visa-again-again/
hello how are you all i have a question in my mind this is my 3rd time in Thailand first time i applied for thailand visa stay here for 2 months then i went back after 1 month i apply again and came here and stay here for 2 months but this time when i applied i got call from Embassy and got interview but i got the visa tho also when i came to thailand at immigration the officer was suspicious and he sent me to other counter and lady officer checked some record and ask me in a very nice way what is your business i told her i have music company in Pakistan & online music store and i do vlogging in thailand sometime and i also love to live in thailand with my girlfriend she smile and let me go but i felt something is not right i really dont understand what is going on i have plan to apply for 6 months visa by march again is that ok to apply thailand visa again & again but i also go to other countries before i come to thailand i went to Dubai its not like i travel to thailand only
]]>1079186Sat, 19 Jan 2019 12:31:49 +0000TM30 now required in Bangkokhttps://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1074988-tm30-now-required-in-bangkok/
Until today i think everybody here thought that it's not nessecary to submit a TM30 if you stay at a private persons place in Bangkok.

But today in this topic:

The user "lust" reported that he was fined because a TM30 was missing.

So it's a quite big change for people staying in Bangkok, because now you also have to care about that a TM30 is submitted or you risk to be fined the next time you apply for an extension.

]]>1074988Thu, 27 Dec 2018 10:48:58 +000090-Day Report - First Time Applicanthttps://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1079605-90-day-report-first-time-applicant/
Hi, I need guidance on how to file the 90-day report for a first-time user:

1. As this is my first time to file a 90-day report, can I do it online?

2. If yes, where can I file the report online?

3. If online reporting is not possible for first-time user, where are the locations in Bangkok that I can visit personally to file the report or can I mail my first report?

4. I'm on a Non-O Marriage Visa, living in a Bangkok condo that is in my Thai wife's name. Do I or my wife need to submit the TM30 form and if yes, by when?

5. For the TM47 report, what documents do I need to submit/present to file the 90-day report?

Their website says the fee is $40. Do they accept Vietnamese Dong? Otherwise I'd have to visit a bank before applying.

]]>1079844Mon, 21 Jan 2019 13:57:48 +0000How much money in bank and for how long for non-o?https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1079588-how-much-money-in-bank-and-for-how-long-for-non-o/
I know its been asked alot but it changes alot. How much money needs to be shown in your thai bank and how long does it need to be in there for?

Here is an official English translation of the national police order confirming the documentation required by Thai immigration for foreigners applying for an extension of stay based on retirement, marriage or being a parent to a Thai child.﻿

The requirements, detailed in a national police order and signed by immigration chief Lt Gen Surachet Hakparn, have now been updated after it was announced in October 2018 that a number of embassies, including the UK, USA and Australia, would stop issuing income letters or affidavits.

The income letters had been used by expats to confirm their income when applying for a retirement or marriage extension.

The new requirements state that applicants must be able to show income transferred into a Thai bank account.

Earlier, Thaivisa was able to share details of the new requirements, but can now reveal those details in full, with the translation of the police order 0029.173/Wor 4950 - titled ‘Supporting evidence of income for visa extension in case of family members and retirement’.

]]>1076820Mon, 07 Jan 2019 08:49:38 +0000malaysia visa run by airhttps://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1079759-malaysia-visa-run-by-air/
Good day all would like to know if anybody has recently done a visa run to Malaysia by air with Air Asia and how long the whole process took need to renew non o 90 day